


Soft

by CJ_Walker



Series: We'll Figure it Out [1]
Category: Splatoon
Genre: Developing Relationship, F/F, First Kiss, Fluff and Humor, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, My First Work in This Fandom, minor adult themes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-20
Updated: 2018-06-04
Packaged: 2019-04-25 14:18:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 17,931
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14380419
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CJ_Walker/pseuds/CJ_Walker
Summary: On one quiet night, Pearl and Marina experience their first kiss together. There's not nearly enough fluff for these two, so here's my humble contribution~





	1. Warmth

Marina wasn't quite sure how it happened, but somehow she and Pearl had become very close in proximity. It was a Sunday night, and it just so happen to be one of their rare days off. Marina remembered that they were in Pearl’s room, dancing and goofing around to some song and then the next thing she knew, they were standing only inches apart. Marina had felt the world around them go silent as both of their noses gently brushed against each other. They lingered there, breaths mingling together as neither one advanced any further.

 

The octoling inwardly panicked. What now? Up until that point, Marina was sure that she had been reading Pearl’s movements right but now... what if she was wrong? What if Pearl didn't want to kiss her? What if-

 

A warm squeeze on her hand had snapped Marina out of her thoughts. She hesitantly met Pearl’s eyes and there seemed to be so many spoken and unspoken words in those golden depths. Blush lightly dusted the inkling’s cheeks as she gave Marina a small, yet endearing smile. The taller idol took one look at that wonderful smile and immediately made a decision. With renewed confidence, she closed her eyes and took the lead to close the gap between them.

 

If she could describe their first kiss in one word, it would be “soft”, because that's how Pearl’s lips felt pressed against hers. Despite them being thin, they were inviting, warm and just so, so... _soft_ . They were practically meant to be kissed. The sensation was better than what Marina could have ever imagined.

 

After a few quiet heartbeats, Marina pulled back the slightest inch for a brief pause before bringing their lips back together again. The second kiss was just as indescribably wonderful as the first. Marina's hands shakily found their way up to Pearl’s face as the inkling curled her fingers into the fabric of the taller girl’s shirt.

 

 _Oh my cod,_ Marina thought, completely infatuated.

 

They were doing this. They were _actually_ doing this. Was this what heaven felt like? Was this what heaven _tasted_ like? Marina just couldn't believe that she was finally kissing Pearl, and the smaller girl was just as into it as she was. Everything about their newly discovered intimacy felt natural and right. Why had they waited so long to do this? Both girls had known that there had been something growing between them for the past year, but they hadn't the courage to act upon it until now.

 

The care they had for one another showed in their kisses. Each one was tender and languid, neither girl feeling the need to rush things despite how long the tension between them had been building up. Eventually, Marina tilted Pearl's head back with her hands, taking a chance to allow their small kiss to grow into something deeper. Pearl willingly followed her lead, pulling the octoling in closer by the front of her shirt.

 

A shiver rippled through Marina’s body when she felt, rather than heard, Pearl quietly moan against her lips. It was such a vulnerable and... not-Pearl type sound; way different from what Marina was used to hearing come from her partner. It was different in a good way, though. The smaller idol was typically loud and brash, always the first to make her voice heard and know. But here, right now as she shared a kiss with Marina in the privacy of their apartment? She showed a different side, one that the taller idol realized with a blush that no one else but her, knew about.

 

This thought made Marina panic inwardly again. Her mind began spinning once more.  Was Pearl really okay with all of this? Was she doing this right? The octoling wasn't used to taking the lead in any past experiences, so she didn't really know what signs to look for. She knew what she liked, but she wasn't sure how to identify that with someone she had never been with before. Despite this worry, Marina felt it surprisingly natural to be the one to set the pace between them. Maybe it was the connection she felt with Pearl, a bond she hadn't ever experienced to this level before. Or maybe it was just that Marina wanted to make sure that Pearl knew just how much she really cared for her, adored her, treasured her and…

 

Marina wanted Pearl to know how much she loved her.

 

With this realization, Marina was able to put her mind at ease. Everything was fine, she was just over-analyzing things, as usual. Honestly speaking, if Pearl was in anyway uncomfortable, she would've pulled away long ago. Instead, the small inkling had her hands tangled within Marina’s moving strands of hair.

 

As their lips continued to dance against one another, there was another quiet, involuntary whimper from Pearl. The octoling quickly dubbed these small, rare sounds to be her favorite song, and she would have no issue listening to it on repeat. She tightened her hold on her partner, wondering what other music she could get her amazing girl to produce.

 

_Well... maybe... if I could just… try..._

 

Making up here mind, Marina decided to take another risk. Gathering courage from every fiber in her being, she brought her tongue into the equation by gently massaging Pearl’s lower lip. She didn't want to just rush in like a bulldozer, so the octoling asked for permission to advance in the most polite way she could think of. The smaller girl’s voice hitched in surprise at the new contact. Her legs buckled, causing her to sway backwards.

 

As if by instinct, Marina swiftly moved one hand from Pearl's face to her waist, catching her. Taking a few steps forward, she gently pushed the smaller girl back against the wall behind them. Marina used it, along with her body, to keep Pearl upright.

 

_I've got you._

 

As Marina continued to caress her partner’s bottom lip, she eventually felt a gap open up in between the inkling’s lips. Deciding that it was now or never, she took the opportunity and shyly began to explore the newly discovered cavern. When their tongues met, it enticed low moans from both idols. The tempo of the kiss was unanimously decided to be kept slow, giving both girls more time to focus more on each other. Marina leaned down further, intent to explore and savor every single inch of her partner’s mouth.

 

Unfortunately, due to their height differences, this put a large strain on the octoling's neck. To make things more comfortable, the idea of picking the smaller girl up by the back of her legs briefly flashed across her thoughts. But... would that be seen as too much, she wondered? Before Marina could give that idea any more thought, Pearl brought her arms up and linked them around the taller girl’s neck, her tongue on a mission of it's own. This change in position pressed the idols’ chests and hips flush together, causing Marina to feel hazy with euphoria.

 

Unfortunately, cephalopods need air to survive so the pair broke the kiss soon after to take in some much needed oxygen. They pressed their foreheads together, breathing and panting heavily as the reality of the situation really started to sink in. With their eyes still closed, they remained in this position as the world the around them slowly returned.

 

Marina was dazed, completely intoxicated by their first kiss...es. She felt her mind spinning like crazy but at the same time, there was a certain tone of calmness in the air. When Marina was finally able to clear her mind, she was met with a pair of warm, golden eyes looking up to her. The taller idol ran a thumb over the smaller girl’s cheek as they took a moment to just appreciate one another. With their faces burning of heat, they gave each other embarrassed yet, beaming smiles.

 

“Wow…” Pearl breathed, unable to contain a small laugh. “That was just… wow. You're uhh… very good at that, yes.”

 

Marina giggled back, feeling just as giddy as the girl pressed against her. “T-Thank you.” He thumb's continually glided over the soft, pale skin. “I just felt like this… _us_ , has been a long time coming.”

 

Pearl nodded in agreement, leaning blissfully into Marina’s soft touch.  “I don't understand what took us so long.” She briefly turned her head to place a quick kiss against the palm of one of the octoling’s hands. She then brought one of her own, smaller hands to rest on top of Marina’s as a small, almost dreamy-like sigh escaped her.

 

 _She's so cute_... Marina thought fondly.

 

“Me either. But y’know...” Marina bit her lip as she gave Pearl a sly look. “I never imagined you would willingly be the… _submissive_ type.”

 

Pearl's face flushed a darker shade of red as she pulled back from Marina to stare at her in utter disbelief. The octoling couldn't help herself and began laughing so hard that tears formed at the corner of her eyes. She wrapped her arms around her sides and staggered backwards. Seeing the smaller girl so flustered was just absolutely priceless.

 

Pearl on the other hand, was not amused. She shifted on her toes, her eyes darting to the side in barely disguised embarrassment. “I-I just uhh... just wasn't ready, that's all.” She grumbled.

 

“You weren't ready?” Marina echoed, an incredulous eyebrow raising. “You're the one who prompted me to lean down!”

 

“But you could've let me in on what to expect!”

 

“I didn't know what I was doing until it just... _happened!”_

 

“Well it sure felt like you did, with the way those lips of yours were moving!”

 

“Oh, I'm sorry. Would you have liked me to write out an in-depth schedule, right before we kissed?!”

 

“YES.”

 

Marina crossed her arms and let out a huff, while Pearl placed her hands on her hips defiantly. They both glared at each other for several moments, neither one willing to back down. As Marina stared at Pearl, she found it continually harder to keep a straight face. It appeared the other girl was having the same issue, as she her mouth kept twitching at the corners. The octoling bit the inside of her cheek to hold in a laugh, but it was Pearl who faltered first by letting a snort slip out. A moment later, both idols were falling over each other, unable to hold in their laughter for any longer.

 

To anyone else, the scene was a stupid, cheesy scenario, but to Pearl and Marina it was everything and nothing. It was nothing because their playful banter was something they were used to doing with each other daily. However, it was everything because it showed just how much their relationship meant to one another. If they didn't have moments like these, both girls would feel as if they would be missing part of themselves.

 

The moon was well into the sky when two idols were able to calm themselves back down. Marina yawned, glancing at the clock on the wall. “Well, it's getting pretty late. We should head to sleep soon.” Stretching, the octoling stood up and began to head for the door.

 

Pearl, who was laying on her bed on her side, gave her partner a confused look. “Where are you going?”

 

“To my room...?” Marina turned and gave the smaller girl an equally confused look.

 

Pearl let out and exasperated sigh, shaking her head in disbelief. “Marina, really? You're impossible.”

 

“What?”

 

The smaller girl raised an eyebrow. “Do you really think you can't sleep in here, with me?”

 

Marina flushed at the question, her fingers twiddling with each other. “W-well… I didn't know if you'd want me to-”

 

“ _Of course_ I want you to stay, you dork.” Pearl laughed in good humor, patting the space next to her. “Get over here!”

 

Marina flashed a timid grin before joining Pearl underneath the blankets. The idols quickly became a tangle of limbs as they settled into one another. A content sigh left Marina as rested her face against Pearl's chest, while the inkling wrapped her arms around her waist.

 

“Better?” Pearl asked, her fingers ghosting over the small of her partner’s back.

 

“Very.” Marina breathed. She was surprised, yet at the same time not, at how quickly her and Pearl had gotten comfortable with each other. Everything about them… _this_ , just felt natural.

 

 _But what is_ this? _What are_ we? Marina wondered. _Are we… dating now?_ The progression of the relationship over the span of one night was really endearing yet, confusing. Marina felt like there was much said, but still so much _more_ that needed to be said.

 

A tug on her chin caused the octoling to literally be pulled out of her thoughts. Pearl had brought Marina up so that the two girls face’s had met. The taller girl felt her breath get caught in her throat as those pair of golden eyes gazed at her with nothing but warmth and affection. Marina watched in almost slow-motion as Pearl leaned down to place a lingering kiss upon her lips.

 

“Good night,” She whispered, shining a gentle smile. Marina, briefly dazed, smiled back before snuggling back into the inkling’s chest. She quickly realized that she didn't care what they were. They would have all the time in the world to officially confess their feelings for one another later. For now, Marina was more than content with lying in Pearl’s arms, listening to her heartbeat lull her to sleep.

 

_Good night, Pearl._


	2. Comfort

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, hey! You guys asked for it, and I've delivered by deciding to continue with this story! It'll be about 3-5 chapter's in length. Pretty short, but still sweet and jam-packed with more fluff~
> 
> Anyways, enjoy chapter 2! <3

Pearl squinted her eyes against the gentle morning sunlight that spilled through the blinds of her window. She typically wasn’t a morning person, but Pearl found it oddly soothing to be awakened by nature’s natural light source. She felt incredibly relaxed and rested, as this was the best she had slept in a long while. She wondered if it was due to the rather vivid dream she had of her and Marina...

 

Sighing longingly, the pink idol recalled the events that played out in her dream. She remembered the way her lips met the octoling’s, how their bodies were pressed close against each other as they became one for that brief moment in time. It had all felt so real; _too_ real even. She wondered how her friend’s lips felt in real life, because if they were anything like in her dream… ohh man.

 

Pearl shook her head, deciding that there was no point in torturing herself with wishful thinking. She yawned into a stretch, but soon discovered that she couldn’t move. Confused, she peered over her shoulder and was surprised to see a sleeping, dark-skinned form. Marina had her in a sea-bear hold, her chest flush against the inkling’s back. She had an arm slung over Pearl’s torso, her head buried into the crook of the smaller girl’s neck and her long legs curled around the older girl’s shorter ones.

 

_Hold up..._

 

Pearl felt heat rise to her ears as everything suddenly made sense. That wasn’t a vivid dream, everything from last night had happened _for real!_ The inkling touched her mouth with her fingertips, realizing she could still feel the tingling sensation from their kiss. Pearl recalled how Marina had her practically melting in her arms, how Marina caught her when she became overwhelmed with emotion, how Marina kept her steady by pinning her against the wall as their tongues-

 

The pink idol flushed ever harder, a hand covering her mouth in embarrassment. She didn’t fully realize how easily she had given herself up to the younger girl until that moment. She was grateful that they had broke the kiss soon after that because Pearl was sure she would have made a fool out of herself if they had continued for any longer. What did her friend think of all of this?

 

 _Friend...?_ Pearl’s eyebrows furrowed at that thought. That word felt terribly out of place to her now.

 

She thought back to how they casually flirted with each other after the kiss. _I don’t understand what took us so long_ , she had murmured to Marina after they broke for air. What kind of ambiguous statement was that?! The small inkling had been completely drunk with bliss, so saying something mushy like in the heat of the moment just came from out of nowhere. But… it wasn’t like she didn’t mean it, at least to a certain extent. Pearl shifted uneasily as she remembered kissing Marina as she fell asleep, her warm body curled up against her chest. The older girl had been so sure, so confident in that fleeting moment, but now, after the adrenaline had left her small body...

 

Pearl was left _panicking_.

 

She liked Marina. Like, the _like_ like kind of like, and she had for quite some time now. Pearl also knew that the octoling held some type of feelings for her as well. Despite this, the idols had somehow avoided clearly stating the obvious last night, but they couldn’t just keep pretending like nothing was changing between them... could they? The last time Pearl checked, friends didn’t just kiss each other passionately, or whisper sweet nothings to each other as they fell asleep in each other’s arms.

 

To add to the icing of this ambiguous cake, Pearl felt conflicted about whether or not to even _bring_ up the situation of their current relationship. She was excited, but more so terrified of what this new possibility could mean for the future of them both. Pearl wasn't the most articulate inkling when it came to expressing her feelings; all of her previous relationships ending due to her poor communication. Maybe they should just… pretend like last night never even happened, because honestly...

 

What if they didn't work out?

 

Did Pearl want to go through all of that pain again, only this time with someone she truly treasured more than anything? Was it worth ruining her current relationship with Marina?

 

_...What would happen to Off the Hook then?_

 

There were just too many big risks at stake here. If things went south, Pearl would not only lose her friend, but also the team that they had worked so hard to create. She would have to learn to be… content with just remaining friends, however hard that may prove to be.

 

_I don't know what I would do if I lost her..._

 

Pearl released another sigh, her mind spinning with worry. As she turned her head back to the girl next to her, she felt that worry fade and shift into adoration when she took in Marina’s sleeping features. Heat rose to the inkling’s cheeks once more at the sight of seeing how cute she looked.

 

How was she supposed to ignore her feelings when Marina was looking like _that?!_

 

The sleeping girl was wearing a yellow tee they had gotten as a “bonus” from Grizzco; a shirt much too big for the average cephalopod. The shirt hung off the green idol’s shoulder, exposing a large part of her smooth, sun-kissed skin. Pearl stared shamelessly at Marina’s articulated collar bones before ripping away her eyes to focus on something else. She noticed that the octoling’s hair wasn’t moving nearly as much as it did when she was awake. Instead, her tentacles slowly swayed left and right, like the soft waves in a calm, lake. It was a very subtle movement, one you'd have to look closely to see. Pearl’s gaze then moved from the younger girl’s hair down to the arm splayed haphazardly across her stomach.

 

_Wait a minute…_

 

Marina was spooning _her!_ Pearl was almost certain that she was the one holding the octoling between her arms as they fell asleep, not the other way around. Marina had always been more touchy-feely than Pearl, so it didn't really surprise her that much that they had switched positions during the still of the night. Even so, the pink idol couldn't deny the feeling of comfort and just pure safety she felt, wrapped up in the octoling’s hold. Perhaps... she could drop her walls down, for instances such as this one. There wasn't any harm in cuddling, right?

 

_The line just has to be drawn at… kissing… yeah._

 

Pearl knew her reasoning was absolutely illogical, but at that moment, she couldn't bring herself to care. It was a stupid rule she would hold onto, regardless.

 

She released a deep breath as she managed to roll onto her back. Her change in position must’ve aroused Marina because the octoling made a tiny noise and began to shift against the smaller girl. Her green eyes soon fluttered open, completely hazed over with the fog of sleep. Pearl couldn’t get over just how cute she looked in that moment.

 

“Mornin’, sleepyhead.” The inkling greeted. She watched in amusement as Marina’s eyebrows bunched together in adorable confusion. “Sleep well?”

 

Pearl realized that she was failing rather quickly at keeping her feelings in check.

 

 _As long as we don't kiss again,_ Pearl repeated to herself in an almost a tribal-type mantra. _We just can’t kiss again._

 

“Mnh... P...earl? Where…?” Marina mumbled a few incomplete sentences, her voice husky with sleep. Pearl felt a shiver split down her spine as Marina's warm breath whispered across her fair skin. The octoling slightly lifted her head as she slowly took in her surroundings, blinking the sleep out of her eyes. Her face gradually increased in temperature when she that she was practically hovering above her partner at this point. 

 

“Uhh…” Marina looked at her arms and legs wrapped around Pearl in horror, her face now a dark shade of embarrassment. She awkwardly released the smaller girl from her hold and sat up in the bed. “S-sorry. I didn't realize that I had uhm…”

 

Pearl waved a hand dismissively, also moving to sit upright. “It's all good.” She said, shrugging. She watched as Marina’s hair tips curled up higher than usual, a sure sign that she was distressed.

 

“It was nice, actually.” The comment flew out of Pearl’s mouth before she could fully process it.

 

This grabbed the octoling’s attention immediately. “It… was?”

 

Pearl felt her face flush with hot heat. She quickly began to back track, blubbering nonsensically. “Well-!! I meant, it was, you know, no big deal or anything. I didn't mind it or whatever. It’d be cool though… like, if you did it again or... uhh…” She trailed off as she caught Marina’s questioning gaze.

 

“I mean, if you WANT to, that is-!” _Oh my cod, what am I saying?!_ “It's totally up to you, because for me it was okay but I get it if you don't want to because it'd be weird or strange because, like, cephalopods only do that when they're uhh... _you know_ , but you and I are kinda just like--” Pearl cut her own self off, groaning into her hands at the mess she just created. “I... should just stop talking, huh?”

 

Marina smirked. “No no, _please_ continue.”

 

Pearl glared at the younger girl through the cracks in her fingers. “I’m glad that you’re getting a kick out of this.” With a dramatic huff, she crossed her arms over her chest and turned her back pointedly to her friend.

 

“Oh come on, Pearl.” Marina rolled her eyes playfully. “You know I can’t help but mess with you.”

 

The small inkling grumbled incoherently to herself, ignoring her partner.

 

“Pearl?” Marina peered over her shoulder, but Pearl turned the other direction. “Pearl…” She tapped the pink idol on the shoulder, but still received no response.

 

_If Marina thinks I'm gonna forgive her that easily, then she has another thing co-_

 

“ _Peaaaaarlie_...” The inkling froze at hearing her ridiculous pet name. Marina was pouting adorably, and Pearl had to blink deliberately to keep herself from blushing.

 

“I-I can't stand you.” Pearl grumbled, leaning back against the headboard of the bed. She tried her best to mask her growing smile. She looked over and saw a mischievous look pass through Marina’s eyes. The octoling leaned back next to her, comically mocking Pearl's cross stance.

 

“Of course you can't stand me,” Marina was biting her lip, as if trying to keep her composure in check. “You're… _sitting_.” She waggled her eyebrows and gave Pearl a look of triumph as if she had just won a ranked battle match in the final seconds of over-time.

 

Despite herself, the smaller girl couldn't help but crack a tiny smile at the terrible pun. “That was wonderfully awful.”

 

Marina laughed, playfully bumping her partner on the shoulder. “Well, I've learned from the master, herself.”

 

Pearl unfolded her arms, a full smile beaming now. She held her head high and spoke in a mockingly deep voice. “I am proud, my pupil. You've done well in the art of Pun’KwanDo.”

 

Laughter quickly filled the room as both girls continued to be ridiculous with each other. Pearl watched the younger girl laugh at the jokes she made, her pale face dusting a light pink. Marina always looked the most beautiful when she was smiling, and the inkling could never get tired of seeing it. In that moment, she wanted nothing more to do than pull Marina in close and kiss that sweet smile of hers, but the fear of what could go wrong kept her rooted to her spot.

 

 _Wait_ , Pearl caught herself in he thoughts, _no kissing regardless..._

 

“Uhm… P-Pearl?” Marina soft voice snapped her out of her thoughts. The pink idol glanced over and saw that she had her hand on top of Marina’s. Apparently she wasn’t as rooted as she thought because when did _that_ happen?!

 

“Oh... uhh…s-sorry...” Pearl stammered, unable to think of anything logical to say. She began to pull her hand away, but her movement was halted when she felt a warm squeeze. She watched quietly as Marina timidly laced their fingers together. The taller girl flipped both of their hands around, and Pearl couldn’t help but admire the differences between them. Her hand was small and pale while Marina’s hand was larger and swarthy with softly pointed, green finger tips. They were complete polar opposites in almost every way possible, but somehow, the pair understood one another as if they were the same being.

 

Well, they understood each other in every way except for… _that way._

 

With a bashful glance, Marina curled one of her loose strands of hair behind her ear with her free hand. “So, uhm… a-about last night…”

 

Pearl froze, the color from her face draining. She wasn’t ready to talk about that at all!

 

Fortunately, even though Marina was the one to bring it up, it didn’t appear as if she was entirely ready to talk about it either. Her eyes kept darting nervously in every direction but Pearl.

 

The smaller girl smirked inwardly; _Where’d all that confidence from last night go, Mar?_ Pearl knew she was the last one to talk, but it made her feel a little better to know that she wasn’t the only one who was nervous.

 

The green pair of eyes continued to shift around the room before settling on the clock hanging on the wall. Pearl then felt her heart super jump out of her chest when Marina let out a sudden scream. Frazzled, the smaller girl fell out the bed, hitting the cold, wooden floor face first.

 

“OH MY COD,” Marina shouted, throwing the blanket off of her body in one swift motion. “We’re supposed to be on set in thirty minutes!”

 

“I'm sorry-  _WHAT?!_ ” Pearl popped up from the side of the bed with one of her tentacles flopped over her head in the wrong direction, exposing one of her hidden ears. Both girls quickly scrambled to their feet, the last traces of their previously awkward moment vanishing like vapor.

 

“Meet you downstairs in ten!” Marina yelled as she darted towards her room to get dressed.

 

“Make it eight!” Pearl called after her. She practically ripped off her sleepwear as she burst into her bathroom. Pearl hastily turned on the faucet and splashed warm water onto her pale face. They’ve never been late before; how did they forget to set their alarms last night?!

 

Oh?

 

Oh.

 

_Ohhh…_

 

Pearl turned off the water and pushed a dry towel to her face, letting out a muffled groan. Due to certain… _events_ , there was a perfect reason as to why they had forgotten to set their alarms. Flustered, the inkling finished up her shortened morning routine by brushing her teeth. Once done, she put on a fresh pair of boy shorts; a black pair decorated with a repeating strawberry pattern.  Next, she grabbed her Off the Hook outfit and hastily put it on. She was glad that they had decided to pick up their uniforms from the dry cleaners yesterday, instead of holding it off until this morning.

 

As she was finishing getting dressed, the pink idol realized that she couldn't locate her finishing touch. “Marina!” Pearl called, searching under her bed. “Have you seen my crown?” There was a brief moment of silence before she heard a reply.

 

“Yeah! I found it down here!” Marina's voice was far away, and Pearl realized that she was already downstairs.

 

“Okay, I'm heading down now!” Pearl ran out of her room and took a sharp turn around the hallway. As she approached the first floor, she jumped over the last few steps of the stairs to save time. When her feet connected with the ground, she ducked into a roll to soften her landing.

 

Marina watched in amusement as she stuffed the last of what appeared to be a croissant into her mouth. “You're really into that action genre, aren't you?”

 

Pearl stood up tall with a thumb pressed to her chest. “What can I say, action is my middle name.”

 

“Well, there's plenty more where that came from,” Marina reached over and tossed a round, black object towards the smaller girl. “Here.”

 

Pearl caught it with ease, realizing that she had been thrown a helmet. “We’re taking your bike...? But I thought you don't like riding it to work?”

 

“I don't,” Marina insisted. Her voice quickly became muffled as she slipped her own helmet on. “But we don't have that much time, and we missed the trolley for this quarter hour. We kinda don't have a choice.”

 

She reached into a nearby closet and pulled out their matching, leather Rockenberg jackets. The duo would often go out on joy rides across the city on the weekends, so they just obviously had to have the gear to match. The octoling passed the smaller, white jacket to Pearl while she put on her classic black one. Grabbing her keys, Marina stepped outside of their home with Pearl following suit. Since neither girls had a car or felt the need to really buy one, they took the subway to work, as it was only about a block of a walk from their apartment.

 

When they reached their complex’s joint parking garage, Marina worked as quickly as she could to unlock and remove the multiple chains, parking brake and tarp she had hooked to her bike. It was very… unconventional to put those things on a motorcycle, but Marina didn't care. To say that Marina was protective of her sleek, green and black bike would be quite the understatement. She took great care and pride of her ride, always making sure to keep it looking as pristine and as fresh as possible. Despite this, the younger girl didn't like riding it to work because that meant the possibility of crazy fans knocking it over, even if only by accident. After all, this certain model was the most expensive bike Inkline Automotives had to offer; she wasn't about to risk having it get stolen or damaged.

 

“Finally!” Pearl gasped as Marina unlocked the last chain. “I swear we could've been there by now if we just walked.”

 

The octoling shrugged her shoulders, unphased by the smaller girl’s teasing. “Better safe than sorry.” She placed the various forms of bike protection, and Pearl's crown, into a compartment at the back of her cycle before slinging her leg over to get on. Pearl hopped on eagerly after her. Instinctively, the pink idol began to lean forward to wrap her arms around Marina’s torso. However, she stopped herself right before the connection was made, deciding against it. She instead sat up straight and braced her hands against the back of the seat to keep herself steady.

 

The motorcycle soon roared to life as Marina put the keys in the ignition. The DJ pressed a button on the side of her helmet, activating the wireless communication device built in. This allowed the two idols to talk to each other through the speakers in their headgear.

 

“Hey Pearl,” Marina began, knocking back her kickstand and flipping down her visor. “You might want to hold on...?”

 

“Oh please, Marina.” Pearl shrugged at Marina’s inquiry, masking her unnecessary awkwardness quite well. She pressed a few buttons on her own helmet, increasing the volume so she could hear better. “You're acting like I've never rode with you before!”

 

“Yeah, but... you’ve always held onto me to keep your balance. Not to mention it’s safer that way.”

 

 “I can handle it.” Pearl insisted.

 

The octoling glanced behind her, raising an eyebrow through the glossy, fiberglass screen of her helmet. “ _Okayyy_ …” The pink idol missed the quick, sinister smirk Marina flashed at her.

 

To put it simply, Pearl had a second heart attack that day.

 

She screamed when the motorcycle suddenly sprang on it's back wheel as Marina revved it into first gear. Without a second thought, Pearl threw her arms around the octoling’s torso, holding on to her for dear life. A trail of thin smoke streamlined behind the motorcycle as they took off out of the garage with a deafening screech.

 

“MARINA, A-ARE YOU CRAZY?!?!” Pearl yelled, watching in horror as they weaved in and out of traffic at blinding speeds. Marina had never driven this fast with her before!

 

The octoling on the other hand was having the time of her life. She laughed into her helmet’s speaker. “I _told_ you to hang on!”

 

“Okay, but I WASN’T EXPECTING YOU TO-”

 

“If you keep yelling through your line, I'm gonna disconnect you,” The taller idol glanced over her shoulder before getting over three consecutive lanes without bothering to signal with a wave of her hand. She received several honks of disapproval from the other commuters. “Besides, we'll be there in no time like this!”

 

Marina took an aggressive sharp turn at the next right, leaning the bike so much that it was almost parallel to the pavement. Pearl was almost certain that they were about to tumble off in that moment. Clamping her eyes shut, she hugged the taller girl tighter as her heart beat skyrocketed higher than what any stingray special could ever reach.

 

_We're gonna DIE._

 

“Easy there, Pearlie,” Marina laughed. “I need to breathe!”

 

The duo continued to zip through traffic, the bustling metropolis passing by them in blurs of colors. Pearl eventually took a risk and peeped over the taller girl's shoulder and was relieved to see that the familiar shapes of Inkopolis Square were quickly approaching in the horizon. She needed to get off of this bike quickly; not only because she was concerned about, oh y’know, potential  _death_ , but also… her brain couldn't process the fact that she was pressed flush against Marina’s body. Pearl was annoyed that she couldn't keep her mind from becoming flustered with… unnecessary thoughts. It wasn't like this was nothing new for her. She had always rode with Marina like this, so why was this time any different from the rest?

 

 _You know exactly why that is,_ a thought sounded at the back of her head, making Pearl uncomfortable.

 

“Hey,” Marina’s soft voice, now laced with worry, sounded through the speakers. “You okay back there? I can... I can slow down.”

 

Pearl blinked, forgetting that Marina could hear her through their headset. She fought quickly to find an excuse.

 

“No no, I’m good. I was just, uhh… wishing I had time to eat breakfast.” Well, that wasn’t exactly a _lie_. Pearl was pretty hungry, as she didn’t have time to eat something before they ran out of their home.

 

Marina hummed in understanding at her partner’s response. “Well... I know you prefer warm breakfast food but, I packed you an extra croissant just in case.”

 

Pearl smiled, despite herself. “I'll take it." The younger girl was always so thoughtful. "Thanks, Mar.”

 

She practically heard Marina smile back through the speakers.

 

“Of course.”

 

The rest of the motorcycle ride, although still terrifyingly fast, was met with a comfortable silence between the two idols. Marina eventually slowed to a _legal_ speed as they neared the back entrance of their studio. As soon as the bike had stopped, Pearl hopped off without a moment’s hesitation.

 

“See, we made it in once piece!” Marina triumphed, removing her helmet. “And right on time, too!”

 

“Yeah. Barely.” Pearl grumbled, also removing her head gear. She handed it to Marina to put in the back of the bike’s storage.

 

Marina put a finger to her lips and tipped her head. “Hmm… For you trouble and... _bravery_ ,” She was barely able to contain a laugh at that word. “How about after work, I treat you to that favorite cake shop of yours?”

 

“With Granny Joe? Really?” Pearl’s golden eyes sparkled in the beaming morning sun. She couldn’t give Marina the cold-shoulder anymore with that kind of offer on the table. “Deal!” The smaller girl turned eagerly to the doors of the studio, but Marina grabbed her wrist to keep her from running off.

 

The octoling giggled, taking a step forward towards Pearl. “Hold on, silly,” She leaned down to place the smaller girl’s iconic crown back in its' rightful place. Marina furrowed her eyebrows in concentration as she made small adjustments to the crown, determined to set it at the correct angle. When she found the desired position, she patted Pearl’s shoulders a few times. “There we go! Can’t forget that.”

 

The gentle smile she gave the inkling made Pearl’s heart skip a beat. A small hum was all the inkling could manage as a response. She acutely became aware of the lack of space between them, and it appeared that Marina had suddenly noticed it as well.

 

However, neither of them pulled away.

 

A certain calmness had naturally settled in the air around them. This was that same calmness that graced the atmosphere from when they kissed from the previous night. Pearl swallowed nervously, her mind practically shutting down as she noticed Marina’s teal eyes drift down to gaze at her pale lips. Her breath got caught in her throat as the octoling hesitantly leaned a bit closer.

 

 _Oh c-cod,_ Pearl mind was in absolute disarray, _We’re... she’s gonna…!!_

 

She willed her body to move, to pull away, but Pearl just couldn’t. Her fears were attacking her relentlessly, but she felt disconnected with her limbs, somehow unable to make them operate. A terrifyingly large part of her wanted this so badly, to feel those smooth, full lips press against hers again but at the same time, she wanted to turn heel and run.

 

_We’re not supposed to kiss anymo-_

 

Pearl’s thoughts stopped completely when she felt a cool nose bump against hers, as if asking for affirmation. Unable to restrain natural instinct, she felt her eyes flutter shut on their own accord. _Well... maybe just one more kiss..._ She reached a hand up and squeezed the palm resting against her shoulder in the same gentle encouragement she had given Marina from the night before.

 

Suddenly, the back door to the studio flew open with a loud bang. Pearl and Marina sprung away from each other immediately, stumbling as they fought to keep from falling backwards. The smaller girl clutched her chest, gasping for air. If she had one more heart attack that day, she was sure that she’d be needing transportation to the nearest hospital.

 

“Girls, there you are!” Their manager yelled, his hands running wildly through his hair. “Get in here, we’re live in 60 seconds!”

 

Pearl didn’t have to be told twice, suddenly able to feel her legs again.  “R-Roger that!” She practically sprinted into the studio, Marina right behind her. As the duo flew to their set, Pearl had to fight to keep her large blush under control before the cameras officially started rolling. She spared a glance in Marina’s direction, noting that her partner was in no better shape than she.

 

_What just happened?!_


	3. Sweet

Marina was determined to talk to Pearl about “them” before the day was over.

 

After their near slip up in front of their manager, the octoling knew that they couldn’t keep pretending as if… “something” wasn’t going on between them. Because there was _definitely_ “something” there, whatever that “something” was. Honestly speaking, they had kissed the night before, why were things so undefined at this point?

 

But the better question was: why were they being so awkward about it? It reminded Marina of those terribly scripted, teenage drama shows.

 

The beginning of their work day had turned out to be an absolute mess. For the first couple of announcements, both Marina and Pearl had stumbled over their lines as if they had never hosted before. They didn't have any time to recollect their thoughts after their… close encounter. Thankfully, their awkwardness was quickly masked as they were able to shift into autopilot. Doing this job so many times, day after day, had its perks, thankfully.

 

However, Marina noticed how… fidgety her co-worker was acting. To the untrained eye, you wouldn’t be able to see a difference, but the younger idol saw how Pearl subtly tapped her fingers against her chair during the announcements, how her foot tapped quietly against the floor when they were sitting at their table, discussion work related topics. These were all things that the older inkling had never really done before, so it was very easy for the green idol to pick up on the strange behavior.

 

Marina didn’t dwell on it too much, though. She just figured that her friend was still embarrassed about what had happened outside the studio. Shell, she was, too. Had their manager burst out a literal second later, things would have probably been _waaaay_ more awkward.

 

She shuddered at that unsettling thought.

 

But still… Marina knew they had to talk about it, and she didn’t think that Pearl would be the one to bring it up. She had tried to mention it earlier that morning, but her confidence had faltered.

 

 _And good thing too,_ Marina thought warily, _because if I didn’t notice the time, we would have been super late._

 

“There it is!” Pearl’s excited voice had brought the DJ out of her thoughts. Their day at the studio had ended a while ago, and the two idols were on their way to Pearl’s favorite cake shop. Marina had made sure to follow up with her promise to treat her partner, although there was no way that Pearl was going to let her forget about it. It was a long drive, about an hour outside of Inkopolis, but the girls didn’t mind. They knew the shop owner very well, and it was long overdue that they were to pay a friendly visit.

 

“Looks just like it did from the last time we were here.” Marina noted in awe as she pulled them up into a parking spot. Both idols removed their helmets, but opted to keep on their leather jackets due to the weather being a bit chilly.

 

Pearl closed her eyes and put her hand on her hips as she took a deep inhale. “Smells like nostalgia and tasty desserts!” She pulled on Marina’s sleeve in the direction of the doorway. “C’mon, Mar! You’re moving slower than a Dynamo Roller!”

 

Maria flashed a playful smile to her overly-excited partner as she finished securing her bike. It was nice to see Pearl back to her usual self, and not the reserved, nervous inkling she was earlier at the studio. Marina still wanted to have that talk with her sometime today, but for now, she decided to not stress about it.

 

A small bell chimed happily as the two idols stepped into the quiet, quaint shop. It wasn’t a fancy place by any stretch of the means, but the shop had an old charm to it. That was something that you just couldn’t find in Inkopolis. It was definitely a nice change of pace.

 

An elderly inkling soon appeared from out of a back door. “Hello there, welcome to - oh!” Her kind eyes lit up when she realized who had come through the doorway. “Pearl! Marina! It’s so good to see you both!” The two musicians smiled back at her as they walked up to the counter.

 

“Hey, Granny Joe!” Pearl beamed, pointing two fingers to her head before shooting them out in a gesture of greeting.

 

Marina clasped her hands and dipped her head politely. “It’s so good to see you!”

 

The elderly inkling gave a deep, hearty laugh before walking out from behind the counter to draw them into an embrace. “Oh, you stop it with all them formalities! We’re all family here!” Neither Pearl or Marina were actually related to the kind elder, but they had know her basically since the idols first met. She was like family, regardless of their actual kinship. Unfortunately, ever since the girls had gotten famous, they hadn’t had the chance to drive all of this way to come pay their friend a visit.

 

“Heavens, look at y’all!” Grandma Joe pulled back, her eyes scanning over the two idols. “You both have grown into very beautiful, young ladies!” Pearl and Marina blushed at her compliment and smiled with embarrassment.

 

“Well, I’ve done most of the growing,” Marina couldn’t help but bump her hip playfully against her partner’s. “I think Pearlie unfortunately missed that part.”

 

“Hey!” The smaller idol puffed out her chest like an emperor penguin. “I have you know that I’ve grown a _quarter_ of an inch in the last two years! But…” She gave sheepish smile, glancing up to the octoling. “I... think I may be done growing all together now.” Both Marina and Grandma Joe laughed at her response.

 

“So, how’s the music biz goin’? We don’t get too much coverage way out here.” The two idols eagerly began to fill the elder in. They talked about how Inkopolis Square was rapidly expanding and so was their fan base. They spoke of their Splatfests, to which Pearl didn’t hesitate to add that she had more wins than Marina, much to the octoling’s annoyance. They also mentioned some other things that Grandma Joe didn’t quite understand, but she still listened in excitedly.

 

“Well, it sounds like things are going well for you too. I’m proud of you both!” She gave them a sturdy pat on the back, effectively knocking the wind out of the two idols. She had always been surprisingly strong, despite her age. Grandma Joe turned and began to walk back behind the counter. “I know you must be hungry, what can I get for you both?”

 

Marina watched in amusement as Pearl immediately sprinted over to the glass display of all of the cakes, sweets and other delectable pastries. Her bright, golden eyes scanned eagerly over all of the tasty treats as she leaned down to get a closer look. Grandma Joe had always baked her desserts with heart and passion, and it showed in her creations. Each one was individually crafted with its own unique differences; even cakes of the same flavor never looked exactly identical. It was no coincidence that this was Pearl’s favorite cake shop.

 

A pale finger rested against the glass as one cake slice caught the pink idol’s eye in particular. “What’s that one right there?” She asked, tipping her head. She didn’t recognize the coloring. It was a vanilla cake with light blue icing and orange highlights, although the texture of the orange icing was different than that of the blue. It looked as if it was replicating the appearance of ink.

 

“Oh, that’s one of our newer flavors!” Grandma Joe beamed. “We call it, Blueberry Booyah Blast!”

 

Pearl stood up straight as a pole at the sound of that name. She gave the kind baker a serious look.

 

“I’ll take seven.”

 

“She’ll take _one,_ ” Maria cut in, her voice light with laughter. Did Pearl forget who was paying for the tab? The older idol gave her a pout of disapproval before folding her arms across her chest.

 

“Don’t look at me like that! Just what are you supposed to do with seven cakes?”

 

Pearl threw her hands out in front of her, as if she couldn’t believe that Marina had asked such an asinine question.

 

“Uhm... EAT THEM?? What else?!”

 

The younger idol shook her head with a smile as she pinched the bridge of her nose. “Pearlie, you don’t need that many cakes.”

 

“Sure I don’t neeeeed them, but I _want_ them, Marina!” She crossed her arms once more and raised an incredulous eyebrow. “I thought you said that you’d treat me?”

 

“Okay, how about just two cakes?”

 

“Five.” The inkling argued.

 

“...Three?”

 

“Twelve.”

 

“Pearl! That’s not how negotiation works!” Marina drew a hand over face and let out a groan. “Okay, what about you get three, aaaaand... I won’t poke fun at your height for the rest of the day.”

 

The pink idol turned the tempting proposition over in her mind, her finger going up to her chin in deep thought. “Make it no more teasing for the rest of the week, and you’ve got yourself a deal.”

 

“The rest of the week?!” Marina gawked at her. “But it’s only Monday, that’s a long time!”

 

Pearl gave her a sly look before shrugging her shoulders. “Okay. _Eighteen_ cakes it is.”

 

“Okay, okay, fine!” Marina agreed, although she placed her hands on her hips defiantly to show Pearl that she wasn’t happy about it. The inkling flashed her a devious grin before skipping over to the cash register.

 

“I’ll take three of the Blueberry Booyah Blasts, please! Oh, and…” She looked over into the cooled beverage section, “a glass of that sparkling juice stuff.”

 

“Sure thing, dearie.” Grandma Joe smiled brightly at the pink idol. She always enjoyed watching how excited the Pearl got over her desserts. Reaching into the glass display, she pulled out three slices before carefully transferring them all onto the same plate. She then set them down onto the counter before looking over to the octoling.

 

“And for you, Miss Pretty?”

 

Marina flushed at the nickname. “I-I’ll just take a kiwi soda, please.”

 

“Typical Mar,” Pearl snickered under her breath as she grabbed her drink and plate. The octoling turned with the intention to add a snide remark, but Pearl cut her off with a flick of her wrist.

 

“One week, remember?”

 

Marina glared at her before settling to stick her tongue out in a rather childish manner. Pearl laughed at her ridiculous display before turning to grab their seats at a nearby booth. Turning back to the baker, the octoling reached into her leather jacket pocket and began to pull out money to pay for their treats.

 

“Oh, don’t you worry about that!” Grandma Joe interrupted, waving her hand dismissively. “You both are on the house today.”

 

Marina smiled at the kind woman. “Thank you, but I can’t possibly not pay you for your hard work.”

 

“Sure ya can!” Grandma Joe laughed. “You’ve my permission, and I won’t have it any other way!”

 

The green idol held her breath. She would feel downright awful if she didn’t pay the elder at least _something_.

 

“May I tip you, at least?”

 

“Huh? Oh, sure.” The older inkling pointed to a dusty, empty glass jar beside the register. “We have a tip jar right there, but it rarely gets used." Marina nodded before reaching back into her pocket. She quickly filled the jar to the brim, effectively paying the elder woman for the price of their treats and then leaving a more than generous amount in gratuity.

 

“You’re too kind, dear.” Grandma Joe blinked at her gratefully before turning to walk away. “If you girls need me, I’ll just be in the back prepping some more cakes!” She soon disappeared through the back door leading to her kitchen.

 

“Oh my good cod,” Pearl mumbled in between bites as Marina took her seat across from her. “This new flavor is so good!” She had already devoured the first cake and already moving on to the next.

 

Marina giggled lightly and cracked open her can of soda before taking a sip. “How are you even able to tell? You’re eating it too fast to truly taste anything.”

 

The smaller idol glanced up to her as she continued to chew. “Is that teasing I hear?”

 

“What? No... ” Marina rolled her eyes at the question. “I was literally just stating what-”

 

She was cut off as Pearl reached across the table with a piece of cake on her fork. “Try it,” She beckoned.

 

“Huh? But I don’t-”

 

“Try it,” Pearl insisted, waving the treat in front of Marina’s face, as if that would entice her more. “Look, I know you’re not the biggest cake fan, but just trust me on this one.”

 

The rapper then offered a grin when Marina still didn’t look convinced. “If you try it, I’ll forget about the deal we made earlier.” The octoling gave her a sarcastic look as an eyebrow raised skeptically.

 

“I’m serious!" Pearl laughed. "I was really just joking with your earlier. There’s no way I could go one week without us messing with each other, equally.”

 

“Fine.” Marina agreed, but only because she wanted the deal to be off. There was a selection of choice words she wanted to say to her partner. Begrudgingly, she lifted her hand to take Pearl’s fork, but the inkling jerked back before she could.

 

“Nu-uh.” Pearl’s grin only grew wider. “Open your mouth.”

 

“ _Pearl!_ ” Heat rushed to Marina’s covered ears. “I don't need you to-”

 

“C’mon, Mar!” The smaller idol propped her head up with her opposite hand. “Pleeeease? I want to be the one to give you your first taste of the best cake on the planet!”

 

Sighing in defeat, Marina knew she had already lost, because truthfully...

 

There wasn’t any way she could ever say no to Pearl when she was pouting adorably like that.

 

 _This is ridiculous…_  Marina slackened her jaw and leaned forward, her eyes instinctively closing. Delighted, the older girl lifted her fork once more and brought the cake to her partner’s mouth. Once Marina had closed the gap, Pearl gently slipped the fork out from between her lips. Out of habit, the younger idol covered her mouth as she chewed on the pastry. With her eyebrows furrowed in concentration, she took in all the many different flavors the dessert had to offer.

 

“So...?” Pearl began, her golden eyes glinting eagerly. She placed the fork down on her plate and leaded across the table. “What do you think?”

 

“It was… passable.” The DJ murmured coolly, shrugging her shoulders.

 

“Passable?” The older idol echoed, her mouth open in disbelief. “What kind of answer is that?!”

 

“Look... Let me just, uhh…” Marina’s voice trailed off as she stood up from the booth. Pearl watched in confusion as she picked up the plate before turning on her heel to walk away.

 

“What are you- _HEY!_ ” Pearl flew out of her seat once she heard the iconic sound of metal hastily clinking against porcelain china. Even though Marina’s back was turned to her partner, the inkling knew that she was trying to scarf down what was left of the cake.

 

“AHA!” Pearl reached out from behind her friend and snatched her plate back. “So you DO like it!”

 

Smiling sheepishly, Marina wiped the side of her mouth with the back of her hand. “Okay, fine… it was pretty decent.”

 

“Decent, she says!” Pearl parroted, rolling her eyes. “Why can’t you just admit that it’s better than ice cream?”

 

The younger idol threw a hand up to cover her chest and gasped as if her partner had just said the most disrespectful thing known to cephalopod-kind.

 

“It’s good, sure, but nothing will ever beat ice cream.” Marina gave a smirk. “Also, not to mention that it’s literally the law. You’re _breaking_ the law by not agreeing.”

 

“I’m sorry, I can’t HEAR YOU over how AWESOME this cake is.” Pearl huffed, not breaking eye contact. She lifted her fork, intending to take another bite, but since her vision wasn’t focused on her dessert, she missed…

 

Terribly.

 

And ended up with blue frosting all over her nose.

 

Marina took one look at her partner before having to curl her lips inward to contain her laugh. That lasted for all of three seconds before she released a stifled sound from the back of her throat.

 

“I think you’ve got-”

 

“Don’t.”

 

Pearl’s speedy response made the octoling release a real laugh. Marina reached to a nearly table and grabbed a few napkins. She leaned down and wiped away the blue frosting from her friend's nose. Pearl glared at her, but she allowed her friend to clean her face. After all, Marina had a better view of it than what she did.

 

“I win,” Marina grinned as she removed the last of the frosting.

 

Pearl couldn’t help but crack a smile as she felt a subtle heat rise to her ears.

 

“For now!”

 

Both idols returned to their seats and just simply enjoyed having casual conversations with each other. They were always together, but rarely did they not have to worry about the stress that came with being famous idols. It was nice for them to just take a moment to relax and just hang out. They talked about anything and everything, ranging from the next song they were working on, to the new clothing line that would be coming out over at The Reef. Currently, Pearl was talking about something that had her very excited, but Marina found herself barely paying attention. She had her head propped up with a hand while she gazed softly at her partner. A small smile of endearment soon graced itself upon her lips.

 

Marina was absolutely _smitten._

 

She found it adorable how animated her partner always got whenever she spoke of something she really enjoyed. As much as Marina wanted to give Pearl her undivided attention, she couldn’t help but get lost in those vibrant, golden eyes. She allowed her eyes to drift down to the inkling’s lips a few times. The kiss they shared from the previous night felt like eons ago. She remembered how wonderful those soft lips had felt against hers, and it was something that Marina longed to experience again, but first…

 

They really needed to have _that_ talk.

 

“Marina?” Pearl asked once she caught the look her partner was giving her. “Uhm… you good?”

 

_Well… it’s now or never..._

 

Sighing deeply, Marina reached across the table and gently rested her hand on top of Pearl’s. This caused the inkling to raise her eyebrows in surprise.

 

“Listen...” Marina’s face became tinted with a light blush. She was nervous, but she forced herself to continue. “I-I’ve been thinking a lot about last night and, uhm… where do you want… _us_ … to go from here?”

 

Pearl’s face turned a deep shade of red as she set her now empty glass down and blinked nervously. Marina thought she looked almost panicked in a sense, with how intensely flushed her face had become in such a short span of time.

 

“O-Oh. L-Last night? That is, indeed, a-a question that you have just asked.” The smaller idol quickly glanced away as she was reduced to a stuttering, stumbling mess. She sent a hand up to rub at the back of her neck, but in the process, her elbow bumped her empty cup. It fell from the table, hitting the hard tile with a loud crash.

 

“Oh, squit!” Pearl groaned, looking down to the floor.

 

Grandma Joe quickly popped her head out from her back door, her hands covered with cake batter. “Girls? Is everything okay?”

 

“I’m so sorry, Gran!” Pearl quickly dropped to one knee and began to pick up the multiple fragmented pieces glinting in the dissipating sunlight. The elderly woman leaned over the edge of the counter to see what the smaller girl was doing.

 

“No need to feel sorry, dear. It happens!” Grandma Joe wiped her hands clean and began to move towards the utility closet, but Marina swiftly cut her off.

 

“Please, allow me.” She insisted.

 

The elderly inkling looked at her, before nodding with a grin. “Broom and dustpan are right in here!” Marina dipped her head politely before grabbing the supplies. She headed back to their booth where Pearl was still picking up the pieces individually. She noticed how the inkling's hands were shaking slightly and that her eyebrows were furrowed together in deep thought. Her facial expression looked like a mixture of annoyance and… anxiousness?

 

What was Pearl anxious about?

 

“Hey,” Marina started, her voice low and soft. She stooped down and she started to help her friend clean up. “You okay?”

 

Pearl gave her a spaced out look before blinking rapidly to seemingly snap herself back to reality. “Yeah, I’m good, I’m good.” Tipping her hand to the side, she let the shards she picked up waterfall from her palm to the dustpan while Marina swept up the remaining pieces. “It’s just... getting a bit late, we should probably head out.”

 

Marina glanced outside the window, noting that the sun had dipped completely below the horizon. The sky was a calming combination of orange and yellow that mixed together with dark blue at the top. “Yeah, you’re right. We’ve got a long drive back.” She stood to dump the broken glass into a nearby trashcan before returning the supplies to the utility closet.

 

“Aww!” Grandma Joe came out from around the counter, a towel in her hands as he cleaned her fingers. “Leaving so soon?”

 

“Yeah, we gotta get back on the road.” Pearl gave a smile to the kind baker. “Thank you for the cake, though! It was delicious.” The inkling gave a sly look to her partner as she walked back over. “Even Marina liked it.”

 

“Whaaaat?” Grandma Joe looked at the taller idol in surprise. “Marina liked something of mine? The world is coming to an end!” She shared a laugh with Pearl while the octoling could only nod in embarrassment.

 

“Well, I won’t hold y’all up any longer.” Grandma Joe cooed as they walked to the doorway. “Just don’t become strangers now! It’s always so nice to have cute, young couples like yourselves come though.”

 

At the elderly woman’s words, Pearl and Marina both blushed furiously. The octoling flashed a tiny smile and scratched the side of her face bashfully. She waffled on her feet as she glanced to the side in embarrassment.

 

Pearl on the other hand, looked absolutely mortified.

 

“Well...” Marina started, her shy smile growing in the slightest, “Maybe one day we’ll-”

 

“We’re not dating!” Pearl’s sudden outburst caused both Grandma Joe and Marina to jump. “We’re not girlfriends, and we won’t be. It’s not like that.”

 

The inkling blinked, looking taken aback at the words that just flew impulsively out of her mouth. Pale fingertips rose to her lips as she processed what just happened. Hesitantly, she glanced over to Marina and felt guilt wash over her when she saw hurt flash through those green eyes. Unable to look at her partner for any longer, Pearl turned her attention back to the baker.

 

“We’re not... together like that.” She reiterated, bringing a hand to absentmindedly to rub her elbow.

 

Marina continued to stare at her partner in disbelief, a feeling of dismay slowly overcoming her. “...Y-Yeah…” She mumbled, her shoulder’s deflating considerably. “We’re not... together.” She finally stripped her eyes away from Pearl to stare down at her feet. Painfully awkward silence washed over the idols, so heavy that one could practically cut the tension with a knife.

 

“Oh?” Grandma Joe didn’t seem to pick up on the domestic situation at all. “You girls sure had me mistaken for years, my apologies!” She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around them both in a hug. “Well anywho, I’ll let you two go. Do come back soon and see me!”

 

Both idols exchanged pleasantries with the kind baker before exiting the small shop. They hopped back onto the motorcycle, their stiff bodies operating in autopilot.

 

“Did you… want to go anywhere else?” Marina asked, looking over her shoulder.

 

“No.” Pearl’s response a rather quick one as she still refused to eye contact. “I just... I just want to go home.”

 

Marina blinked at her before turning around with a small nod.

 

“Okay.”

 

She slipped on her helmet, trying her best to hide just how crestfallen she truly was. The bike sprung to life once more when she turned her keys in the ignition. Marina felt Pearl wrap her arms around her waist, but there was no warmth or comfort in her hold. She was only holding on due to the simple fact that she needed to, not because she wanted to.

 

They didn’t turn on their headsets for the entire duration of the long ride back.

 

When they finally arrived home, Pearl quickly retired to her room with no more than a mumbled “good night”, giving Marina no choice but to go to hers. Changing into her loungewear, which consisted of a simple tee and pajama pants, the octoling shut off her lights and crawled into her own bed. It was still rather early into the night, but Marina wasn’t in the mood to do anything else. Even though she and Pearl had only slept together for one night, she felt terribly lonely and cold in her bed. Curling herself against one of her body pillows, she clamped her green eyes shut and willed herself not to cry.

 

She should have known better than to assume that she and Pearl would get together, or even that Pearl even felt the same way. Sure they had kissed, but that clearly hadn’t meant too much to her partner. It was her fault for super jumping to irrational conclusions and now, because she had acted on emotions and not logic, she had set things awkward between them.

 

Marina hugged her pillow tighter, pitifully wishing that it was a certain, golden eyed inkling instead.

 

She shouldn’t have ever brought it up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for your patience with this update!
> 
> The next chapter will be the last, but I'll explain what else I have in store for this story on that chapter's notes~


	4. Hurt

Sleep wouldn't grace Marina.

 

She had been tossing and turning in her bed for the last couple of hours, wishing she could drift off into blissful unconsciousness so she wouldn't have to think about anything. Unfortunately, it didn't appear as if luck was in her favor. Giving up on sleep altogether, the octoling sat up in her bed and let out a quiet sigh, her shoulders slouching in sorrow like a sack of sand.

 

Was it possible to feel loss for someone you've never had?

 

Marina thought so.

 

Sure she may have super jumped to conclusions, but Marina didn't think it was too far-fetched of an idea; her and Pearl dating. Everything from last night and this morning had felt so genuine, but what if she had just interpreted things wrong do to her own feelings? However… every time the octoling turned it over in her mind, her partner’s ultimatum from the cake shop just didn't make any sense. Marina _saw_ the way Pearl looked at her when they woke up, she _felt_ the way Pearl kissed her from the previous night, she _heard_ the way Pearl’s voice softened when she was only speaking to her.

 

Was that all just really a red herring? In her honest opinion, Marina didn't try to hide the way she felt about Pearl. Apart from never explicitly saying it, she thought her actions spoke way louder than her words…

 

And so did Pearl's, whether the inkling realized it or not.

 

Marina closed her eyes and hugged herself, feeling hollow and sick to her stomach. Deep down, she couldn’t shake the feeling that Pearl was wrong, which made her feel even worse. Was she really just skewing the situation in her favor, due to her own feelings? She really hoped to cod that she wasn’t.

 

It would do the octoling no good to remain here, mentally ping-ponging with herself.  She needed to know the truth, regardless if it would hurt her more or not. The whole reason they got into this mess was because of their lack of upfront communication. It was a selfish thought, but Marina wanted to fight for this. She wanted to fight because deep down, she truly believed that Pearl wasn’t being honest with herself.

 

And Marina was determined to find out why.

 

Making up her mind, Marina forced herself to get out of bed. She didn’t care about how late it was, she had to talk to Pearl or else she wouldn’t be able to sleep for that night. Also, they couldn’t leave things on this bad of a note; they had to go to work tomorrow.

 

The DJ shuddered at the unpleasant thought of going to work with them being on awkward terms. They would be making headlines as quickly as a Clash Blaster’s firing rate.

 

The octoling padded barefooted to her door, her nervousness growing with every step she took. Before she could psych herself out of it, she placed her hand on her door knob.

 

There was no going back now.

 

As she opened her door, her green eyes widened in surprise to see a smaller form before her. Pearl was standing in her doorway, looking just as startled as Marina. She was wearing an over-sized tee with a pair of small shorts underneath and her hand was raised in a loose fist, as if she was just about to knock on her partner’s door.

 

“Hey,” Pearl offered, her hand going down to rub her elbow. “You… got a minute?”

 

Marina blinked a few times before being able to respond. “Y-Yeah. I was actually on my way to…” She trailed off before opening her door wider. “Please, come in.” Pearl nodded in thanks, walking past her and into the room.

 

The octoling felt her heart rate increase immediately.

 

After closing it shut, Marina turned and took a few steps away from the door. Pearl had her back to her, gazing up at a picture sitting on the octoling's dresser. It was a photo of them, taken right after their first official Off the Hook concert. Marina had an arm slung around Pearl’s shoulder while the inkling had an arm wrapped around her small waist. Their free hands formed peace signs while they sported wide, beaming smiles at the camera.

 

“It’s hard to believe that was almost a year ago…” Pearl whispered into the quiet of the room. Marina walked up to stand by her side, her bare feet tapping softly against the wooden floor as she went.

 

“And almost two years since we first met,” Marina added, briefly flashing back to the past. The day she met her partner was one of the most terrifying, yet, most hopeful days of her life. She would forever be grateful for meeting her.

 

“Marina.”

 

The octoling looked over expectantly; Pearl's tone of voice carried a certain weight with it that made her feel... _uneasy_.

 

“Look… I’m just gonna cut straight to the chase.” The inkling took a deep breath before continuing. “I think it’s best if we just stay friends. I’m sorry for leading you on so much.”

 

_Oh..._

 

At first, Marina didn’t know what to say. Pearl had spoke so nonchalantly, as if she was simply reading off a grocery list.

 

“Leading me on?” Marina blinked in disbelief as her voice hitched slightly. “Pearl, it was... it was  _more_ than that, and you know it.”

 

“It's really not that big of a deal. It was just a kiss.” Pearl shrugged her shoulders, seemingly not phased at all. However, Marina didn’t miss how she shifted nervously on her toes.

 

_Why are you lying, Pearl?_

 

The DJ shook her head, completely dumbfounded. “ _Just_ a kiss...?” She echoed, placing a hand on her hip. She found herself getting slightly irritated. _Now is not the time for you to be stubborn._ Mumbling under her breath, she added: “That's _sure_ not how it sounded when you moaned against my mouth.”

 

Pearl scowled at the smart remark, immediately getting defensive. “What’s _that_ supposed to mean?” Her golden eyes flickered dangerously like a feral cat backed into a corner. She only had two options; to fight or take flight. The octoling was fully aware that she was walking on fragile eggshells, but she couldn’t let her partner get away with being so deep in denial.

 

Not when the evidence was as clear as water.

 

“Pearl…” Marina quickly checked her own tone and tried to confront her as gently as she could. “I don’t know why your denying this but-”

 

“I’m not denying anything!” The inkling exclaimed, her mouth impulsively running off on its own accord. “I swear, one would think we had sex last night with how much you’re making this out to be.” Pinching the bridge of her nose, Pearl released a loud groan. “I know you’re younger than me, but grow up already. It was only a kiss, and nothing more.”

 

Marina could only stare silently at her partner, mouth ajar, as she was rendered speechless. She tried to swallow the thick lump that had formed in her throat as she felt her heart tear into pieces. Turning her head to the side, the DJ closed her eyes and bit her trembling lip in a desperate attempt to hold her tears back.

 

Pearl's words _stung_ her.

 

Marina was more than hurt by her partner, but... she just couldn't bring herself to believe it. In a way, she thought she was being pathetic, but she simply couldn’t shake the feeling from her heart that Pearl was _lying_.

 

Meanwhile, instant regret and guilt was all Pearl felt after she spoke. She didn’t know what compelled her to say something so… awful. Marina didn’t do anything to deserve being treated like this. Pearl let her ever disobedient mouth get the better of her, like back at the cake shop, and she lashed out again because of it.

 

Knowing how harsh her words were, Pearl raised a hand, trying to take back the damage that had already been dealt.

 

“Wait, R-Reena... I-I’m sorry. That came out so wro-”

 

“Say it.” The DJ interrupted with a quiet voice.

 

“What?”

 

Marina took a step forward, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “Look me in the eyes and tell me that our kiss meant _nothing_ to you,” Her voice wavered as her throat clenched, but it still somehow managed to hold a tone of resoluteness. She gritted her teeth against a hiccup, refusing to look away. “If you do that… t-then I'll believe you, and-and... we'll put this whole thing behind us and go b-back to the way t-things were before...”

 

Only, they both knew things could never go “back” after tonight. Too much had already been said and left out in the open.

 

Green locked with golden as Pearl met Marina’s eyes with a steadfast gaze.  She opened her mouth, but no words were able to form themselves. Her hands balled themselves up at her sides as they began to tremble. Pearl felt particularly guilty about her outburst because whether she liked it or not, everything that Marina had said was _true_.

 

Of course she couldn’t bring herself to say it.

 

Releasing a deep sigh, Pearl closed her eyes and turned her head away.

 

“I can't…”

 

“Then _why_ are you saying all of this?” Marina voice was a sharp whisper as she tried to maintain her composure. She blinked away her tears, refusing to let them spill over. The octoling didn’t feel any relief or joy out of finally getting verbal confirmation of what she already knew. If anything, it only made the situation worse. She had gotten her answer, but only part of it.

 

“Pearl…?” She pressed when she didn’t receive a response.

 

The inkling let out a drawn out sigh, dragging a hand over her face. It appeared that she was going to have to bring this up, whether she wanted to or not.

  

“Okay, look! I just… I don’t…” Pearl's voice wavered. She frowned and tried to clear her throat, but it only seemed to make her voice tighten further.

 

“It’s not that I don’t…” Her voice trailed off as she felt something cool and wet roll down her face. She touched a hand to her cheek and was surprised with what she found.  “Cod damn it… I _hate_ crying...” Annoyed, Pearl hastily wiped away the disobedient tear, only for it to quickly be replaced by another.

 

Marina blinked at the girl slowly crumbling before her in absolute confusion, not understanding exactly what was going on. She had never seen Pearl cry before, and she didn’t know what to do.

 

What she _did_ know is that she just wanted to help with… whatever was going on. Even though she was still hurt from Pearl’s words, she still wanted to just… be there for her partner.

 

Because Marina knew it would take a lot more than a simple, impulsive jab to keep her from not loving Pearl.

 

Going against all logic, she hesitantly reached out to cup one of the smaller girl's cheeks with her hand, in hopes of offering comfort. Almost as if by instinct, Pearl leaned eagerly into her touch before seemingly realizing what she was doing. She hastily pulled away as if she had gotten burned.

 

“I'm sorry, but I can't...”

 

“You can't _what?_ ” The octoling’s voice cracked. She was more than desperate for answers this point. “What are you so afraid of, Pearl?”

 

The smaller girl sniffed as she wrapped her arms around her torso. “See, that’s the thing... I’m not afraid.”

 

Marina frowned.

 

_Not this again..._

 

“Pearl... how many times are you going to lie to y-”

 

“I’m _terrified_.” She corrected with a choked sob. Pearl lowered her head in an attempt to hide the steady growing stream of tears falling from her face. “I-I’m _so_ scared, Marina. I can’t... I don’t...” Her voice faltered as her breathing hitched. She wiped angrily at the wetness on her cheeks, trying futilely to cover up her emotions.

 

Marina took one look at Pearl before throwing the rest of their previous argument out of the window. She didn't care about it anymore. Her heart had already made the subconscious decision to forgive her partner.

 

“Hey...” She couldn’t shake her natural urge to rush to the aid of her partner even if she tried. Leaning down, the younger girl continually fought to make eye contact with her partner. Daring to go out on another limb, she gently took one of Pearl’s hands in her own. The inkling gave a sharp flinch at the touch, but much to Marina’s relief, she didn’t pull away this time.

 

“Pearl… sweetheart,” The small name of endearment slipped from the octoling’s lips without her even realizing it, “What’s this _really_ about?”

 

When Pearl finally looked up, Marina felt her heart break at seeing just how distraught and broken her partner looked. Her golden eyes were flooded with tears and drowning with fear, guilt, pain and so many other emotions Marina couldn’t even pinpoint. She thought it was the most beautiful, yet, most terrible thing she had ever seen. She wanted nothing more to do than smother her partner with comfort and affection; to hold Pearl close in her arms, sprinkle soft kisses all across her face and tell her that everything would be okay. Unfortunately, she had to restrict her actions by settling to rub the back of Pearl’s hand with her thumb.

 

“ _Please_ talk to me,” Marina pleaded. “You can always come to me, about anything. I won’t ever judge you, or think less of you.”

 

_There's no way I could ever think less of you..._

 

Pearl gazed at her for a moment longer before sighing in defeat with a nod of agreement. Marina gave her a small smile, turning to sit down on the edge of her bed. She patted the space next to her, encouraging Pearl to follow suit. The inkling climbed up beside her, her bare feet dangling above the floor once she got situated.

 

“Sorry you have to see me like this…”

 

Marina shook her head fervently.

 

“I don’t care.”

 

Pearl gave the octoling a look before staring blankly at the hands resting in her lap. “...Where do you want me to begin?” Her voice was smaller than what she was.

 

“Wherever you want to,” A dark-skinned hand quickly found its’ way back to Pearl’s, their contrasting fingers lacing together once more. The comforting touch seemed to provide the pink idol with a bit of reassurance. Marina couldn’t tell if she imagined it, but she swore she felt the smaller girl tighten her hold in the slightest bit.

 

“I’m terrified of messing up,” Pearl suddenly blurted after a long stretch of silence. “This is going to sound beyond stupid but… if we get together… I’ve been so scared I won’t be what you want or what you… need. The last thing I want to do is disappoint you.” Pearl hesitantly glanced up to her partner, almost as if she was waiting to be reprimanded. Instead, she was met with a pair of soft, green eyes, silently encouraging her to continue.

 

Pearl gave a tiny nod in understanding. “I’m confident in everything I do, except for... _this_. I-I don’t know how this is supposed to work, Marina. I’m really bad with the whole relationships thing, reason why none of my previous ones have never lasted that long... I don’t want to chance the same thing happening with you.”

 

“Why not?” Marina asked. “Why take that chance with your previous partners, but not with me?” Her tone of voice wasn’t challenging or accusatory, she just really wanted to know what was causing her partner to feel so distressed.

 

_I want to help you..._

 

“Because,” Pearl started, swallowing nervously. “You’re different from them.” When she saw the confused look Marina gave her, she began to explain further.

 

“Different, in a good way. When I’m with you… I feel things on a level I’ve never experienced before, or even ever thought was possible.” A weak, timid smile graced Pearl’s lips as a faint blush lightly dusted her cheeks. “I’ve felt like this for a while now and when we finally… kissed, _cod_ , it was  _amazing,_ b-but then... I started thinking about where we'd go from there and... I didn’t know what to do so I started to panic…" Pearl's free hand gripped at the material on her shirt, causing her knuckles to lose circulation. "Reena... I don’t even know how to describe what I was feeling. What I felt from _you._ I’ve never felt so much… so much...”

 

“Love?” Marina offered quietly.

 

Pearl froze at the suggestion before slowly turning her head to meet her partner’s. Marina’s comforting gaze had somehow managed to become impossibly softer. The inking couldn’t believe the way the moonlight in the room had made those unique, green eyes glisten so brilliantly in that moment. She felt the octoling squeeze warmth into her hand, silently conveying what she had suddenly realized. Pearl glanced bashfully back down to her lap, her face turning a darker shade of pink.

 

She gently squeezed Marina’s hand in return.

 

“Y-Yeah…” Pearl answered after a while with a sniff. She then gave a tiny, half-hearted laugh as her shoulders deflated considerably. “I’ve never felt this much... l-love before.” The inkling took the collar of her shirt and attempted to dry her wet face once more.

 

She murmured into the fabric, her voice almost inaudible. “ _Cod_... it’s... _so_  nice...”

 

Marina caught it regardless and was truly touched by her words. Her heart was aching for her partner, so much that she just couldn’t take it anymore.

 

“C-Can I hold you, Pearl?” She blurted out.

 

The inkling glanced up to her with a look of helplessness.

 

“ _Please_.”

 

Marina didn’t have to be told twice at the sound of that request. She shifted her position on the bed so that her back was resting against the headboard. Holding out her hands and giving a small, but warm smile, she made a gesture for Pearl to come closer. The smaller girl gave a tiny nod before crawling in between her legs. A dark-skinned hand guided Pearl’s head to the crook of her neck as her other arm wrapped protectively around her waist. Pearl just simply kept her hands pressed against her friend’s chest.

 

Understanding how important silence was in this moment, the younger idol spoke not a word. They sat in the stilled darkness as Marina let her fingers run loosely through Pearl’s tentacles. She suddenly felt the inkling tense in her arms, which made her fingers freeze mid-motion. Pearl’s body began to tremble as Marina felt her small hands tighten their grip into her shirt.

 

_Oh, Pearl..._

 

Marina only cradled her tighter when she heard a soft, strained sob escape from her partner. Pearl’s crying wasn’t loud or dramatic, but rather it was quiet and intimate. Yet, even though it was hushed, it was clear to see just how broken her friend really was. The octoling’s eyebrows furrowed into a subtle scowl as she stared off at nothing in particular. The frown wasn’t directed at the girl in her arms, but rather it was towards herself.

 

Pearl was _hurting_ , and it pained Marina that she wasn’t aware of it, until now.

 

 _Some best friend you are_ , she thought to herself bitterly.

 

The younger idol closed her eyes and forced herself to calm down. Now was not the time to get caught up in her own emotions; Pearl _needed_ her, and Marina was willing to tear down the sky to be that shoulder to lean on.

 

She tilted her head down to sneak a ghost of a kiss to the top of the smaller girl’s head, wishing there was something more that she could to do help. She decided that the best thing she could provide for her partner at that moment was offer comfort, security and trust. Marina wasn’t sure how long they sat together, but she held Pearl in her arms, even long after her crying had subsided. They sat in silence once more, the octoling’s hand still sliding through the pink idol’s hair. Her other hand was preoccupied with rubbing her back with a gentle thumb.

 

“Pearlie…” Marina was the first to speak into the quiet of the night, “I have plenty of love to give to you, if you'll have me.”

 

Pearl let out a slow, deep sigh. “I know... but, that’s what _scares_ me, Mar.” Her cool breath whispered against the octoling’s neck. “It scares me because if I mess up, the consequences will be way worse than what they have ever been before. So... I-I figured that if we just remained friends, then at least I would never have to worry about destroying what we already have.”

 

A pale hand reached out to fiddle with one of her partner’s tentacles. “But we’re not even together, and I’ve _already_ managed to hurt you...” She added quietly.

 

Marina gave the pink idol a soft squeeze in hopes to comfort her. “Don’t beat yourself up about that, Pearl. You didn’t mean it, and if we work this out… I don’t think you’d do it again.”

 

The smaller girl tightened her grip on the front of the octoling’s shirt once more.  “But what if I _do?”_

 

“But what if you _don’t?”_ Marina pressed, desperately trying to get her partner to see her point. “Believe me, I’m scared too. But for me… I've realized that the fear of missing out on what could be the greatest thing to ever happen to us scares me _way_ more than the fear of us not working out.”

 

_I’m not going to give up on us this easily._

 

Marina pulled back to tenderly wipe away the last traces of Pearl’s tears. “You can’t think this negatively of yourself, Pearl.” She didn’t miss the flicker of guilt that flashed through her partner’s eyes. “Listen…” Marina let her fingers trail from the smaller girl’s cheek, down her neck, over her arm before finally resting on top of her hand. “I want to be with you, _all_ of you. That includes when you’re at your best, and at your worst.”

 

She continued, “I know you’re struggling right now, but… even after all things considered, we both know that you also want to be with me. Are we really going to let something as silly as fear stop us from being happy?” She tightened her hold on her partner’s hand. “And I say _us_ because if we’re together, we fight this thing together, as one.”

 

Pearl blinked at her in astonishment, taken aback by the strong conviction in the younger girl’s tone of voice. Despite the inner turmoil she was feeling, the inkling couldn’t help but believe her. Marina had always had a way with words.

 

She would also be stupid to not admit that she felt genuine solace, wrapped up in Marina’s hold. From here on out, she always wanted to feel like this because now that she had gotten a true taste…

 

There was no way she could live without it.

 

The corner of Pearl’s mouth twitched upwards in the slightest bit at this epiphany. “What did I ever do to deserve you...” She snuggled her head back in the crook of her partner’s neck, hiding her embarrassment. This was quickly becoming her favorite spot to reside in.

 

“I should be asking you the same thing,” The younger girl breathed, giving another warm squeeze. They took a small moment to hold one another, relishing and appreciating the comfort they gave each other. Marina in particular felt more relieved than anything.

 

Pearl had finally given her just enough access to reach her heart, and she wasn’t going to let it slip past her again.

 

“So uhm…” The DJ glanced to the side as she cleared her throat nervously. They _needed_ to speak this into existence. “ Do you… want... to make it official?”

 

Despite herself, Pearl couldn't help but squint her eyes deviously at the request. “Are you asking me to be your girlfriend? How absolutely _lewd_ of you.”

 

Marina rolled her eyes dramatically, although her face flushed to a darker color.

 

“No, I’m asking you to be a jellyfish.”

 

Pearl snorted at her response, realizing that some of her sarcasm was starting to rub off on her partner. She glanced up to other idol and flashed a small, yet, genuine grin. Marina felt her heart skip a beat; it was the first true smile she had seen from Pearl since that afternoon.

 

Marina realized that she never wanted to go that long without seeing that wonderful smile ever again.

 

Pearl reached out and rubbed the side of her partner’s arm with a gentle thumb, her face rising in temperature. “I would love to be yours,” She spoke with certain softness in her voice that the octoling had never heard before.

 

Marina gave a soft giggle as she briefly pressed their foreheads together.

 

“And I would love to be yours, as well.”

 

“I won't lie though,” Pearl added, a flicker of doubt crossing her eyes. “You make this sound like it's easy...”

 

Marina gave her a small smile, “It _is_ easy. Almost as easy as riding a bike.” Those words left her mouth before she had a chance to process them.

 

The octoling laughed nervously. “Aheh… maybe... that wasn’t the best comparison to use.”

 

“I feel like you said that on purpose,” Pearl had bunched her eyebrows together and gave a pout, despite her golden eyes shining brighter than they had all evening.

 

Marina gave her a playful nudge, “Hey, it’s not my fault you still can’t ride a bike.”

 

“It’s not _my_ fault bikes are just straight up… stupid.” Pearl grumbled, crossing her posture. “Every time I get on one, it always leans over to one side!”

 

The younger idol raised an incredulous eyebrow, “Maybe they’re just… _two tired_ to put up with you anymore.” She wore a lopsided grin as she spoke.

 

Pearl stared at her before sudden realization stuck her. She slapped a hand over her face and drew her head back in a drawn out groan.

 

“Marinaaa… noo...”

 

“Oh come on!” The octoling protested, “That was a good one, and you know it.” Pearl gave her a deadpan look, not amused in the slightest. There wasn’t enough room in Inkopolis for the both of them to be throwing bad puns left and right.

 

The younger girl took one look at Pearl’s ridiculous expression before letting a small snort slip out, which soon turned into fit of soft giggling. The smaller idol looked up at her, first confused, before quickly being infatuated by her sweet smile. Marina’s laugh had always been dangerously contagious, and despite herself, Pearl soon felt a growing rumble rise up from within her own chest. She couldn’t help but smile as she naturally mimicked her partner. Gradually, the pair began to feed off of one another and before they knew it, the quiet night was broken with the sound of full-blown laughter.

 

The girls were lying on their backs, shoulder's brushing, by the time were finally able to recollect themselves.

 

Turning her head to the side, Pearl faced Marina. “So… now what?” Her voice was light with the last traces of laughter.

 

“We go wherever we want to from here,” Marina responded simply, also turning to face her partner with a smile of her own. Pearl looked at her for a moment before slowly letting her eyes drift down to the younger idol’s lips. She didn’t even try to hide her lingering stare.

 

“I think I know where I want to go…” She murmured.

 

A light blush dusted across Marina's cheeks as she caught Pearl's intention. She rolled over to her side and propped her head up with her elbow.

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

The octoling leaned above the smaller girl, a hand reaching out to gently rub across her pale cheek. Pearl brought her own hand up to Marina's face, mimicking her partner’s actions. They took a moment and gazed deeply into each other’s eyes, briefly getting lost in their own thoughts.

 

“You’re so cute, you know that?” Marina’s voice was no more than a faint whisper.

 

Pearl gave a soft smile through half-lidded eyes. She closed them without hesitation as Marina began to lean down.

 

“Only for you.”

 

They said nothing more as they finally met each other again. The room became blanketed in calm silence, save from the sounds being produced by the girls’ slow moving lips. So much had changed between the two idols within the last twenty-four hours. Their mouths danced more confidently against each other as they found each other’s natural rhythms with ease. It didn't take long for their tongues to reconnect, their kiss essentially picking up from where they left off from the previous night.

 

Yeah no, they thought their first kiss was amazing? This one was _breathtaking_. Unlike last night, there were no what-ifs or uncertainty. Both of their hearts had been put out into the open, as they were now in verbal agreement with each other. This is what Pearl and Marina truly wanted. To hold each other, to love each other.

 

To just simply be _together_.

 

Not just as co-workers,

 

Not just as friends,

 

but as lovers.

 

As their mouths continued to explore one another in a quiet battle of dominance, Marina allowed her free hand to do some exploring as well. It slid down from her girlfriend’s face, across the front of her chest before finally resting against her thigh. She caressed the area with her thumb through the fabric of Pearl’s shorts. At the feeling of the touch, Pearl subconsciously bent her knee upwards, causing her shorts to naturally shrink down due to gravity. In turn, Marina gently pulled the leg inward, pressing herself close against the older idol. This earned her a blissful sigh from the girl beneath her.

 

Although she wasn’t sure she'd ever admit it, Pearl liked letting Marina take the lead in these intimate situations. In her past experiences, she had always taken on that role, but with Marina? There was just something about the octoling that made her just want to… give in. It was a surprisingly nice change of pace, and it seemed that the younger girl had no problem latching on to the role, either.

 

Pearl wasn't just going to sit back and let her have _all_ the fun, though.

 

Wanting to explore as well, the inkling's hands also began to wander. They traveled down to the hem of Marina’s shirt before slipping underneath it to trail across her toned abdomen. She felt Marina shiver when her hands passed over her navel piercing. Curiously, she gently tugged on it, which warranted her a quiet, yet, sharp gasp. Apparently, this was a very sensitive area for her girlfriend.

 

Pearl made sure to keep note of that for later.

 

The gentle sound of rustling sheets filled the room as Marina began to maneuver more of her body over Pearl. Letting go of the pale thigh, Marina broke their loving kiss to sling a leg over Pearl's waist, straddling her. The smaller girl gazed up to her with half-lidded eyes, her cheeks dusted with a light blush. Marina met her quiet gaze with one of her own as she reached down, took a hold of Pearl's acute biceps with her hands and gently pushed the pale arms straight up above her head. Flipping the hair out of her face, the octoling then leaned back down and returned her lips to Pearl's. Her hands slowly slid up the arms until the met Pearl's own hands, where she then entwined their fingers together.

 

Determined to get back at Pearl for making her involuntarily gasp earlier, Marina eventually let her mouth travel from her girlfriend’s lips to her jaw line. Pearl turned her head to the side, willingly exposing more of her pale skin. She unlaced one of their hands and brought it up to the back of the octoling’s head, applying light pressure to keep her close.

 

Marina took her display of eagerness and practically ran with it. She trailed up Pearl's jaw, peppering an endless stream of soft kisses along the way as she went. Marina soon brushed a pink tentacle to the side, exposing a hidden ear. The inkling was expecting another kiss of some sort, but she was terribly mistaken. Instead, Marina bared her sharp teeth to slowly and deliberately drag them over the ear. A quiet, shaky breath escaped Pearl at the chilling sensation, her eyebrows furrowing as she was momentarily unable to focus on anything else but the octoling’s mouth. Marina applied an even amount of pressure, firm enough to get her point across, but still gentle enough to where she left her girlfriend’s porcelain skin unmarked.

 

For now.

 

Marina humored herself by teasing Pearl’s ear for a bit longer before bringing their lips back together for a kiss. She was surprised to feel Pearl's chest rumble against hers in a tiny laugh.

 

The younger idol pulled back the slightest bit. “What's so funny?” Despite her sincere confusion, she couldn't help but giggle with her girlfriend.

 

Pearl shook her head as a small smile graced her lips. “Nothing, I just… can't believe I was almost stupid enough to not allow us to be together and experience...” She gestured between them with a hand, “ _this_.”

 

Marina clicked her tongue and hummed in agreement, “Yeah, that was a pretty stupid idea of yours.”

 

“HEY.”

 

Marina laughed in good nature as she playfully bumped her nose against her girlfriend’s. “Don't get mad at me, you're the one who said it first!”

 

“Doesn't matter,” Pearl pouted crossly. “You're still mean.”

 

“Oh, really?” Marina raised an skeptical eyebrow. “Now, just who was it that shorted out my phone by dropping it in the sink the other day?”

 

Pearl’s face turned pink out of embarrassment. “Marinaaa... I told you that was an accident!”

 

The octoling gave a small laugh as she leaned back down to give her partner a gentle kiss. “I know.” Pearl practically melted into her at the feeling of those soft lips against her own. She let her hands slowly glide down the octoling’s sides as their mouths pushed and pulled against each other. The inkling had always admired the curves on her girlfriend, especially those at her waist and lower back. She slipped her hands back underneath the shirt, longing to feel the smoothness of the dark skin residing there once more. Pearl felt Marina release a content sigh at the feeling of her cool fingertips ghosting across her back.

 

Although they were able to find each other's rhythms with ease, neither idols had the desire or the intention to go further than kissing. Tonight was about establishing the foundation for their new relationship, simply nothing more or nothing less. There would be plenty of time for other activities at a later date. For now, they were more than content with taking things slow.

 

Eventually, Marina mumbled against her girlfriend’s mouth as their kisses became more lethargic. “Mnh... Pearl...?” She felt the smaller girl hum as a response in an almost dreamy-like fashion.

 

The octoling gave her one more loving kiss before breaking it off. “As much as I love this, we need to get to sleep.” Pearl let out a whine of disapproval at the sudden loss of contact.

 

“No we don't...” She argued, despite her eyelids already drooping heavily. She leaned up to press her lips against her girlfriend’s once more. It took everything in Marina's power to not be lulled back into their trance-like state of loving kisses and lingering touches.

 

In one fluid motion, the octoling pulled away and slid underneath the blankets of her bed. With her back turned to her girlfriend, she quickly made herself comfortable.

 

“You're welcome to join me when you're done pouting,” She quipped, not even trying to hold in a yawn. It really was late into the night; the octoling wouldn't be surprised if it was hours after midnight,

 

There were a few moments of silence before Marina heard a comically loud and dramatic sigh. She felt the comforter peel away from her for a brief moment as Pearl slipped her way underneath the sheets. The younger girl could practically feel the annoyance radiating off of her girlfriend.

 

Smirking in triumph, she peered over the back of her shoulder. Pearl was glaring at her, but there was no real menace in her eyes. The inkling then stuck her tongue out at her partner in the most childish display Marina had ever seen in her life.

 

“You're such a dork,” Marina laughed, shifting to her other shoulder so she was facing the older girl.

 

“Yeah, well I'm your dork, so you better get used to it.” Pearl grumbled with a blush. The octoling gave another soft giggle before lacing one of their hands together. Letting out another yawn, Marina felt her eyes flutter closed on their own accord. She hadn’t been this cozy and comfortable in a long time. Her thoughts soon became fuzzy and blurred together as she slowly started to drift off to sleep.

 

“...Marina?” Pearl’s quiet voice sounded into the still the night, stirring her partner from the first stages of blissful unconsciousness.

 

When Marina’s green eyes reopened, she was met with Pearl’s golden ones looking back at her with worry. Immediately growing concerned, Marina slipped her hand underneath one of Pearl’s tentacles to caress a hidden ear, offering comfort. The inkling leaned into the touch, bringing her own hand up to hold Marina’s wrist. The younger girl smiled as she realized that her girlfriend really enjoyed having her ears played with.

 

She thought it was absolutely adorable.

 

“Something on your mind?” Marina asked eventually, noting that the inkling still looked troubled.

 

Pearl nodded solemnly, glancing down. “I really am sorry,” She murmured quietly. “For what I said earlier. I was panicking and being stupid and I really didn't mean what-”

 

Marina cut her off by placing a finger to her lips. “Hey, no more of that. It’s okay.”

 

“But, what I said was awful...” Pearl blurted. “How are you not mad at me?”

 

“I could never stay mad at you, even if I wanted to, Pearl.”

 

“But... why?”

 

The younger girl gave a soft laugh. “Isn’t it obvious?” Pearl felt her heart skip a beat as Marina gazed at her with the most beautiful smile she had ever seen in her life.

 

“I love you.”

 

Pearl blinked at her in surprise, her face turning a light shade of pink. She gave a small, timid grin before her expression quickly changed from that of adoration to dismay.

 

“I'm not asking you to say it back,” Marina added, sensing the turmoil her girlfriend was in. “I just wanted to let you know how I truly feel. Plus, I know you'll say it when you're ready. There’s no rush, okay?” _You're more than worth the wait._

 

Pearl gazed at her with soft, grateful eyes. She could never fully wrap her head around just how selfless and kind Marina was.

 

“You're wonderful…” She breathed, closing her eyes as she rested her head against Marina’s chest. The octoling smiled before pressing a tender kiss to the top of Pearl's head.

 

“Only because of _you_.”

 

Marina let her thumb glide over Pearl’s ear as she felt her girlfriend’s breathing soften and even out, indicating that she had fallen asleep. Only when she was sure that the inkling was deep in slumber did the octoling finally let a few, silent tears roll down her face. Holding the small girl in her arms tighter, she placed another loving kiss to her head, and then one more to their joined hands. She didn’t let the tears fall because she was sad, angry, or worried...

 

She let them fall because she was overwhelmed with pure _happiness._

 

Marina was choked up with so much emotion, her heart filled to the brim with nothing but love and affection for the girl in her arms. Releasing a deep, content sigh, Marina snuggled her head against Pearl’s before letting her eyelids fall. It only took a few moments before she joined her girlfriend in the blissful state of slumber.

 

Teal curtains continued to dance softly against the gentle breeze that blew into the quiet of the room while the peaceful moonlight made the space glow a soft, calming white. It was a picture perfect scene of genuine tranquility. From here on out, Marina and Pearl were heading towards new, uncharted territory. In a sense, it was truly terrifying, but both girls were no longer scared. They would take this new journey head-on, because they knew they had each other for every step of the way.

 

However, there was just _one_ small problem...

 

They had forgotten to set their alarms, again.

 

 _End._ _♡_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for the support of this story and for encouraging me to take this simple one-shot and expand on it! It has truly been a blast. Things will be continued with a Part Two of "We'll Figure it Out", showing how Pearl and Marina's relationship will grow from here. I can't give an exact date of when that will come out, but I'm trying my hardest to aim for an early 2019 release date.
> 
> Thanks again for reading, and I'd love to hear your thoughts on this story/chapter!
> 
> -CJ Walker


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